Animatronics

Also known as Mechanized Puppets and Robots.

Animatronics is the use of electronics and robotics to make puppets and robots move and act as if they are alive. By using sensors (such as motion sensors), hydraulic control cylinders and electrical wiring in place of muscles, organs and a nervous system, skilled designers can make artificial figures realistic and lifelike.

Heavily used in the film and theme park industry, animatronics gained popularity in the 1980s through use of robots at family entertainment centers such as Showbiz Pizza Place and Chuck E. Cheese Pizza Time Theatre.

More recently, museums and welcome centers have added animatronic figures in period dress to give lectures and impart a sense of reality to the displays.